From Sci-Fi Interesting to Blockbuster Boring

Rating: 4/10 (22 February 2014)

--WARNING: There may be some spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen the film, so just a heads up. In order to accurately review this film, it may be necessary to talk about some key moments.--
This one was a miss from the start. The promotional art for this film lead you to believe that it is supposed to be an action film; yet The Island is much more than that, but not in a good way. This movie suffers from a serious identity crisis, starting off as a much more interesting film than it ends up being. Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson are both top notch actors in their own right, however the convoluted story hinders any ounce of interest these two try and help occur along the ride.
The Island starts off as a film about a colony of people brought up to be almost the ideal society of individuals going about their seemingly endless and mundane daily routines; all whom long to win "The Lottery" which grants them access to an island in which they will live out the rest of their years in bliss. Obviously this is a rouse, and the plot is predictable, dated, and much less of a homage to classic Sci-Fi films than it thinks it is. Once Ewan and Scarlett's characters escape, the movie turns into a different film entirely, cutting out most of the sci-fi elements and getting more gritty. This grit, however, is big time filler and seldom interesting, making for a very long second act.
The cherry on top comes during the latter part of the film in which Michael Bay puts his directorial stamp on the film by going full on blockbuster with the special effects and action, almost like giving film goers what they probably expected to be seeing throughout the whole film as a climax rather than a theme throughout; which isn't very climatic in retrospect.
The Island represents everything that is wrong with blockbuster movies, and while it may be nowhere's near as bad as the second transformers film, it's hap-hazard narrative is disappointing and only understandable when by the numbers; and the whole package is undersold by never realizing the first half's potential. It hurts to see so much promise go to waste in terms of both actors and an opportunity to tell a great story, but lowered expectations and good old political undertones plagued this film into the obscurity it deserves.
Dare I recommend it? Even as a passing curiosity? Or for general film knowledge? Just for general film knowledge... for any other reason, no, I don't.